Reel



23, W H. SOMMEfi REEL Filed May 11, 1928 6 Anr Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

U D "STATES W LLIAM'H. somvmn,

or mean, ILLINOIS.

REEL.

Application filed May 11,

This invention has reference to reels and relates particularly to thattype of reel on 'which is wound barb-wire, altho it useful forholdingplain wire, or like material.

The invention has for its principal object to construct a reel of thepharacter referred to entirely of wire, and including end members andtie-rods. and inexpensive to make, and yet sufliciently strong to servethe purposes intended.

The invention has for a further object to provide a reel, the endmembers of which each comprise elongated looped wire lengths, the endsof which are butt-welded, presenting in effect members of continuouswire stock and such members laid transversely across each other toprovide arms for the connection of the tie-rods; the intersections ofthe wire forming the respective members being preferably united by lapwelding the same together.

That the invention may be more fully understood reference is had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of the description, illustrating apreferred embodiment of the invention in which:

. Fig. 1 is aperspective view of a reel embodying my invention; I

Fig. 2 is a view of one end of the reel showing the wire constitutingeach member buttwelded and the lap-welding of the respec tive members toeach other, where they intersect, and

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating one of the tierods.

Like characters of reference denote c0rrespending parts thruout thefigures.

The reel includes when assembled end members 1, 1 each formed with aplurality of radially disposed arms 2, the respective arms of which areconnected by the spacing tie-rods 3. The wire from which the respectiveend members are made, and the wire used for forming the tie-rods may beof any gauge suitable to give suiliicicnt strength to the structure forsuch purposes as the reel may be intended for use, and the diameter andlength of the reel will of course be determined by the size of the endmembers 1 and the length of the tie-rods 8.

In the preferred form each end member 1 is made from two preferablyelongated looped members which are placed at right angles across eachother, as shown in Fig. 2 so that each end member is formed with theplurality of arms 2 to which are connected Such a reel being light 1928.Serial No. 276,950.

the tie-rods 3. For convenience each elongated looped member in an endmember is designated 4 and comprise a wire bent into the form ofanelongated loop as shown, with the meeting ends of the wirebutt-welded, as at 5, presenting in effect one continuous piece of wirestock, Said elongated looped members at points suitably removed fromtheir opposite ends are formed with shoulders 6 producing the reducedend portions constituting the arms 2 over which are slipped the loopedends of the tie-rods to be described, said looped ends of the tie-rodsengaging the shoulders 6 and the resiliency of the metal of the armsacting to prevent the outward movement of the tie-rods.

In the construction of an end member 1 a pair of elongated loopedmembers comprising the'wires 4 are laid cross-wise of each other asshown in Fig. 2 so as to produce a symmetrical figure substantiallystar-shaped and where the wires of respective looped members cross eachother they are lapwelded as at 7, not only producing in effect a unifiedstructure but strengthening the frame work thereof. The crosswisearrangement of the elongated looped members of the end members 1 producethe axially disposed openings 8 which provide a journal bearing for theinsertion of a spindle, not shown, which may serve to support the reelwhen winding and unwinding the'barb-wire, plain-wire or other material.

Referring to the tie-wires 3 each are formed at their opposite ends withloops or eyes 9. Such loops or eyes are formed by bending the ends ofthe tire-wires at right angles and in the same plane and then inturningor bending back the ends of said loops or eyes, so as to crossthe mainbody of the tierods as shown in Fig. 3. In the assembling of the reeland to connect the respective arms 2 of the opposite end members l theloops 9 are slipped down over the arms 2 to the point of engagement withthe shoulders 6 thereof, as previously explained. The inturned portionsof the loops or eyes will lie next adjacent to the wire whichinay bewound on the reel, and such wire when brought into engagement with theinturned ends of the loops or eyes will act as a lug to prevent theopening up of such inturned ends of said tie-rods.

I am aware that it is not new in the art to construct a reel of thecharacter herein referred to entirely of Wire, nor is it new to. arovidesuch a reel looped and r8 Wiich are laidcross-Wise of each other and theWires 'l'orming such end members where they intersect, lap-Welded toeach other. Such a reel is disclosed 1n a patent granted to me- October7, 1924, No. 1,510,750, but in my former patent the meeting ends of82101 looped member overlap for a short distance and these lappedportions cross the single wire of the other cross members and the twosuch lapped ends are lap-welded to a single cross Wire. Such astructure, I have found presents certain disadvantages which tend toWeaken the structure and practically makes the same unfit for the roughuses to which such reels are put, both in reeling the wire and whenunreeli-ngin the field. In the practice of Welding the lapped ends ofone member to the single Wire of the other memher, it has been foundthat one of the lap portions Will produce a good Weld, While the otherwill not and it is with some difficulty, if not practically impossibleto keep the Welding machine in shape to meet this condition, with theresult there is amarked breaking at these points in the structizire, ifnot a separation which Will break down in actual use. In the presentstructure these disadvantages are entirely overcome and obviated and astrong and permanent lap-Weld is assured.

it crosses and intersects the Wire of the other member being lapaveldedthereto, and Wires .eonnectmg opposite terminal ends of correspondingend members.

WILLIAM H. SUMMER.

